Stories

Housing Forward's clients are a heterogeneous group - victims of domestic violence, the mentally ill, substance abusers, the unemployed and unskilled, the medically indigent and underinsured, and the developmentally delayed. But they have one thing in common: they are homeless and extremely low income people with urgent essential needs for food, shelter and safety, and for connections with community support systems to resolve underlying causes of their homelessness.

There are numerous, documented reasons for financial and housing crises -- lack of affordable healthcare, lack of affordable housing, lack of a livable wage, substance abuse, mental illness, domestic violence, forced eviction and foreclosures, and so on. If not resolved quickly, these become chronic, escalating issues not only for the individual but also for the community. Housing Forward provides a continuum of solutions that spans six service offerings, to address our guests' varied needs no matter their circumstances or level of self-sustainability.

Over the course of our 25-year history, we have served close to 15,000 people.

"Because of Housing Forward and the caseworkers and outreach team, I was able to move out of my friend's garage and into my own apartment. Now, my health has improved enough that I no longer need an oxygen machine."

Losing my home after working for nearly 30 years was the lowest point in my life. I never expected to have to sleep in a shelter with dozens of other people. For the first few months, I was in shock. The staff at Housing Forward understood this, and worked with me at my pace to connect me with the services I needed to regain stability in my life.

I had been living on the street and in shelters for so long that it had become normal to me. When the Outreach team talked with me the first time, I didn't expect to be housed, and didn't want their help. They kept coming back, though, and I'm glad they did. Now that I have my own apartment again, I recognize how much I needed a helping hand.

"I never thought I would be needing this kind of service, but it only takes one situation in life to change your status. I am just grateful knowing that I could come to one place and get all the service I needed."